Genital Herpes and Oral Sex?

I was exposed to genital herpes in October 2006, but I wasn't actually diagnosed with antibodies until July 2007 during visit to GYN. I have not had any outbreaks. I have read that the longer you have the antibodies and are outbreak free, the less likely you are to spread it through shedding, and that most shedding takes place within the first year of being exposed. My boyfriend and I want to have oral sex without dental dams, etc. How likely is transmission?

Several answers.

Genital-to-genital transmission between monogamous couples who refrained from intercourse during outbreaks was about 2% per year. Some couples in the study used condoms, others didn't - but it is known that condoms aren't very effective against herpes transmission anyway. If the infected partner took an antiviral every day, the transmission rate dropped to less than 1%.

This doesn't tell us what the likelihood is of genital to oral transmission, but it is almost certainly less than for genital-to-genital. So less than 2%.

I completely disagree with the idea that "most" shedding takes place during the first year of infection. It is true that herpes symptoms (and probably shedding) lessen over time. But the amount that it lessens (if it does so at all) varies from person to person. It's quite possible that you do shed "less" but still 10+ days per year.

I don't know of any detailed studies that can show you how likely genital-to-oral transmission is. Know that most adults (50% to 80%) already have oral herpes - although most have HSV1 orally, not HSV2.

Wish I had more detailed info for you. If it was me, I would totally take the risk. But then, that's me.

I've put a link to the study I referenced, as well as my fave website for genital herpes info.

Good luck.

keep using dental dams.Genital herpes is spread by direct skin-to-skin or mucous membrane contact with an infected person. Most often, this occurs from having sex (either vaginal or anal sex) with someone who has an open herpes sore (this is when an infected person is most contagious). However, transmission can also occur from an infected partner who does not have a visible sore and may not know that he or she is infected but is actively shedding virus. In fact, people who do not know they have herpes play an important role in herpes transmission.

There may be some dialogue out there regarding the chance of transmitting herpes however I'd rather get info from a clinical study that provides fact-based evidence and this might be pretty difficult to study.

Even the smallest risk of acquiring this virus seems like too much of a risk. You may not be experiencing outbreaks but there's no guarantee that your boyfriend won't have those very uncomfortable outbreaks if he acquires herpes.

How a person responds to a virus, in part, depends on the individual's health status.

I'll say better safe than sorry. Use barriers.

keep using dental dams. i got genital herpes type 1 from my boyfriend from a cold sore on his lip...and it hadn't become visible on his lip until 2 days after. YOU DO NOT WANT GENTIAL HERPES IT HURTS LIKE HELL AND YOU'LL HATE YOURSELF!! please be safe! i wish i was smarter and i kick myself every day for it!

I would definately keep using the dental dams.
You wouldnt forgive yourself. Until a doctor gives you the ok to stop using it.

The thing is, it is up to you.

If he is happy to give you oral sex without dental dams, that is between you and him.

The risk is of spreading it between outbreaks is low - between 2 and 5% a year.

In addition, he is giving you oral sex so he is only risking catching oral herpes. I don't see this as a problem - 80% of adults have oral herpes, and you risk it every time you give someone a quick kiss on the lips.

If you have genital hsv-1, well it is exactly the same risk he would take kissing someone that had cold sores when they didn't have a cold sore (hsv-1 is the usual oral herpes virus). Except that it is less infectious on the genitals.

If you have genital hsv-2, and he were to catch it on the mouth, hsv-2 REALLY does not like being on the mouth - it is the least severe and least likely to recur and be infectious form of herpes you can have. The vast majority of people who get it NEVER get another outbreak and it is only infectious about 0.01% of the time.

Also, if your boyfriend is one of the many people who already have oral hsv-1, that would render him unable to catch your herpes on his mouth if you have genital hsv-1, and if you have genital hsv-2 it about halves his risk.

I cannot understand why people are so alarmist about the possibility of catching oral herpes, when three quarters of the population have it.

I have genital herpes and my boyfriend loves giving me oral sex :-)